Seal-lock



R. H. JONES.

SEAL LOCK.

APPLICATION mm APR. 28, 1920.

1,397,587, Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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J5 A TTOR/VEY R. H. JONES.

SEAL LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, I920- 1,397,587. Patented Nov. 22,1921.

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6.- 2r f 1 /Z P I 1 M I 16%? (/27 1' 2a fir 6; /5 2/ 7 %.JZ I v WI T/VE SSE 8 I TTOR/VEY IN I/EN TOR UNITED STATES RAYMOND H. JONES, OF MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

SEAL-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed. April 28, 1920. Serial No. 377,367.

useful Improvements in Seal-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to seal-locks and has for one of its objects to provide an improved construction of seal of the general type disclosed in my prior Patents :1,087,020, issued February 10, 191 i, and

:fgtl,172,530, issued February 22, 1916.

Another object is to provide an improved seal which in use gives trustworthy assurmore, by its individuality and intactness that the door or other article sealed has not been opened.

A further object is to provide a seal which will show at a glance when it has been properly locked, and also will show at a glance if it has been tampered with. I

A still further object is to provide a seal which can be easily and quickly attached but which can be made of comparatively cheap material though sufficiently strong to prevent unintentional breakage and which will stand up under exposure to all kinds of weather.

Other objects will appear hereafter in connection with the detailed description wherein itwill be seen that the seal described herein is substantially fool-proof, simple in detail and absolutely effective in operation.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seal embodying the invention, the same being shown in a locked position with certain parts broken away for better illustrating the construction.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional. view through Fig. 1 approximately on line 22.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 2, except the parts are in a locked position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a locking head embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 4; is a side elevation of the locking head shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking head shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a cover plate embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the construc tion shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional yieiy through Fig. 6 approximately on line Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the cover plate detached.

Fig. is a perspective view of a shackle embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the seal showing the first position before locking.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the first locking position.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, expept the parts are in a second locking posi- Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, except the parts have been moved to a third locking position.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13, except the parts have been moved to a fourth and final locking position.

In the manufacture of my seal, various detailed changes or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the drawings one practical embodiment of the inventive ideas has been shown to which particular reference is now made. 1 indicates a shackle of special structure, hereinafter fully described which coacts with what may be termed the seal head 2. From Fig. 1, it will be seen that both ends of shackle l interlock with the seal head 2, and also mutually interlocl It will of course, be understood that shackle 1 is passed through the usual lock or look attachments now in common use before the parts are interlocked as shown in Fig. 1.

The shackle 1 is a thin narrow strip of metal of a y desired length and width, the same being constructed diiferently at the respective ends 3 and 4. The interlocking end 3 is chamfered at 6 and 7 so as to move easily and enter certain slots in the seal head 2. This end is also formed with letters 8 and 9 or other identifying characters embossed or depressed as preferred, and with cut-out portion or notch 10. This notch is provided with a bottom wall 11, a side wall 12 perpendicular to the side edges 13 and l l of the shackle and with a side wall 15, at a slight angle to wall 12, fitting against the pressed out portion 16 of the locking head 17, hereinafter fully described The other end of shackle 1 acts as a catch or actuator and will hereafter be referred to as an actuator. It will be understood that the interlocking end 3 and the actuator 4, could be made of independent parts and welded or otherwise secured to a connecting shackle strip without departing from the invention though preferably the entire structure is made in one piece as shown in the drawing. The actuator 4 is provided with a central bent locking section 18 and a pair of side end locking sections 19, the last mentioned sections being bent to a greater extentthan section 18. A slot 20, is formed in actuator 4, a certain distance from the end so that it may register with certain other slots hereinafter described. This slot is provided with parallel side walls 21 and 22 and an end wall 23. The end of the slot opposite wall 23 opens into a transverse'slot 24 which merges into what may be termed a locking slot 25. Slot 24, is formed with side walls 26 and 26', a side wall 27 and an end wall 28, wall 27 merging into a diagonal connecting wall 29 which in turn merges into wall 30 of the slot 25. The slot 25 is provided with parallel walls 30'and 31 and an end wall 32, said wall being so arranged that wall 30 is almost in alinement with wall 22 01 slot 20. A number of numerals or other identification characters 33, 34 and 35 are arranged on the actuator 4- so that theslot 20 will extend completely across character 35 and partially across character 34. The characters may be provided on the actuator in any desired way but are preferably formed by embossing or by being pressed into the material of the acutator. Further, the characters may be of any size or shape, but are, as ex hibited, almost as high as the shackle strip l is wide.

(lo-acting with the shackle 1 is the seal head 2, which is made up of twodistinct members, namely the locking head 17 and the covering plate 36. The locking head 17 is formed with a body 37 and a tongue .38 preferably integral therewith and adapted to fit in the groove 38' in body 37. Tongue 38 fills the groove from side to side from the front end of body 37 for about half its length where it is suddenly reduced in width and forms a tongue projection 38". The tongue projection 38" is constructed with a slot 39 which is positioned to register with slot 40 in body 37 and also with the respective slots 20 and 25 at difierent times according to the position of the actuator 4. The extreme end of the tongue projection 38" is bent over for presenting a hook 41 which prevents the actuator from coming out of the locking head 17 after plate 36 has been properly placed in position. On the large forward end of tongue 38, are arranged a number of locking detents 43, 44 and 45 which are preferably pressed out as shown in the'drawing, said detents being arranged on one side of a central longitudinal line drawn through the tongue 38 so as to come opposite the pressed out protecting section 46 of body 37. A pair of final locking detents 47 are arranged on opposite sides of the tongue projection 38", said detents being bent toward body 37 similarly to detents 43, 44 and 45. The body 37 is formed Referring to Figs. 6, 6 7 and 8, the numeral 53 indicates the body of the cover plate 36, and 54 and 55 designate longitudinal shoulders which merge into side flanges 56 and 57. The body 53 is provided with a slot 58, a depressed head 59, embossed or raised heads 60 and 61, and a circular raised ring 62. These heads act as stiffening and reinforcing members while the head 59 is formed with auxiliary depressions acting as means for bowing the tongue 38 and preventing lost motion between several of the parts. The slot 58 is of the same shape and size as slots 39 and 40 in the locking head 37 and; continually registers therewith. From Fig. 8, it will be noted that the body 53 is pressed up from the shoulders 54 and 55 so as to "form what may be termed a groove 38" which accommodates most of the actuator 4 when the same is pushed forward as shown in Fig. 10.

In assembling the various parts of the seal, the tongue extension 38 is passed through the transverse slot 24 in actuator 4 and the actuator is forced forwardly until the end 18 strikes against the forward end of the locking head 17 (Fig. 10).. The covering plate 36 is then placed in position with the shoulders 54 and 55 resting against flanges 50 and 51 after which the flanges 56 and 57 are turned over flanges 50 and 51 and pressed down tightly. If desired several punch depressions 63, or other securing means could be added for absolutely insuring against disengagement ofthe parts without destroying them. When the flanges 54 and'55 have been secured in place, the seal is ready for use and the parts have assumed the position shown in Fig. 10 with all of the characters 33, 34 and 35 hidden beneath the body of the locking head, 17. In use the interlocking end'3 of the shackle 1 is threaded through the staple, lock or other device on the door to be sealed and is then thrust through the alined slots 58, 20, 39 and 40 until wall 12 of notch 10 is substantially flush with the outside surface of plate 36 whereby character 8 is above the locking head 17 and character 9 is below plate 36.

'stroying the seal.

The actuator 4 is then usually pulled until the parts assume the final locked position shown in Fig. 14. hen the actuator is pulled to the position shown in Fig. 11, the end 18 slips over the first detent 48 whereby the actuator is prevented from returning. It will also be noted that the material of the actuator adjacent the diagonal wall 29 is beginning to close the slot 40 except for a narrow opening along one side just suflicient to accommodate the interlocking end 3 of the shackle 1. In Fig. 12, the actuator has been moved a little further and both characters 33 and 34 have been brought to view while end 18 has snapped over the second detent 44 and the material adjacent wall 29 has further closed slot 40. In Fig. 13, the actuator has been moved a little further and end wall 25 has begun to close completely the slot 40 while the wall 15 of notch 10 has been forced a short distance over the pressed out section 16. Fig. 14 shows the fully locked position with the wall 15 resting for almost its full length on section 16. It will be noted that when the parts are in position shown in Figs. 1 and 14, end 18 is pressed by the pillow 52 while the end locking sections 19 are interlocking with the final locking detents 47 and the bent end 41 is held in the pressed out section 16, whereby the actuator cannot be removed without de- I/Vhen the parts are in their finally locked position, the last character 35, is fully exposed and is cut in two parts by the slots 20 while character 34 is only partly cut. Upon an inspection of the completely locked seal all three characters 33, 34 and 35, will be seen as shown in Fig. 14, while at the same time characters 8 and 9 will be seen on opposite sides of the seal head 2 by slightly turning the device. After the seal has been completely locked, it cannot be opened by anyone without destroying some essential part and it will show at a glance whether or not it has been tampered with and also whether or not it has been properly and completely locked.

What I claim is:

1. A seal comprising a casing, a lockable member, an actuator formed with bent sections extending within the casing, a plurality of identification characters on the actuator arranged so that they are exposed successively as the actuator is brought to a locked position and detent means coacting with said bent sections and corresponding with successive identifying characters, said detent means and the bent sections preventing any return movement of the actuator, after each exposure of the successive identifying characters.

2. A seal comprising a substantially flat casing, the walls of which are formed with two openings at right angles to each other, a shackle having an actuator at one end, movable in one of said openings and a notched lockable end member at the opposite end operable simultaneously with the actuator and movable through the other of said openings, and means for simultaneously locking both ends of the shackle in said casing in such a position as to cause part of said lockable end member adjacent the notch to overlap part of said casing.

3. A seal comprising a locking head having a tongue formed with a bent portion, a shackle having an actuator at one end and an interlocking member at the opposite end. Said actuator being provided with a deflected resilient extremity engageable with the bent portion of said tongue, said lockable member being movable by said actuator to an interlocked position with said locking head when the actuator has been moved to a locked position.

4. A seal comprising a casing, a shackle having a notched member at one end and an actuator at the opposite end, said notched locking members being engageable with the casing and extending therethrough and said actuator engaging said locking member within said casing and adapted upon movement to a locked position to constrain the notched locking member into locked engagement with the casing and means to prevent a retracting movement of the actuator.

5. A seal comprising a casing, a shackle formed with an actuator at one end and a locking element at the opposite end, said locking element being engageable through said casing, said actuator engaging said locking element within the casing and adapted upon movement to a locked position to constrain the notched locking element into fixed engagement with the casing, said actuator being formed with locking means, complementary locking means carried by the casing adapted to engage the locking means on the actuator to preclude any retracting movement of the actuator and means in the casing to prevent displacement of said locking means.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, this 14th day of April, A. D. 1920.

RAYMOND H. JONES. 

